Joint for artificial limbs.



Nq. 727,383.` PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

' E. KOEBEB..Y

JOINT FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS..

AP PLIOATION FILED FEB. 26, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 727,383. PATENTBD MAY 5, 190.3..

E. KOBBBII. JOINT PORv ARTIFICIAL -LIMBS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1902, N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

O will Patented May 5, 1903.

ATENT OFFICE.

EDNARD KOEBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

JOINT FOR ARTIFICIAL LIIVI BS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,383, dated May 5,1903.

Application filed February 26, 1902. Serial No, 95,734. (No model) I Toall whom, it may concern: Y block F. Extending through the supporting-Be it known that I, EDWARD KOEBER, a citiblock F, rocker E, and core Ois a bolt G,

zen of the United States, residing at Chicago, which at its lower endengages a soft-rubber 55 in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,washer H, which is seated within a recess in 5 have invented certain newand useful Imthe under side ofthe core O. Screwed upon provements in.Joints for Artificial Limbs, of the upper end of the bolt G is a nutLwhich which the following is a specification. engages a soft-rubberwasher J, which rests My invention relates to improvements in upon thesupporting-block F, the bolt G eX- 6o joints for artificial limbs, andespecially to tending also through the washer J. The bolt ankle-joints.

The object of my invention is to provide a joint which shall besufficiently flexible when G passes freely through the block F, rockerE, and core O, so as to have some degree of lateral play therein.

in use to approximate the flexibility of natui In the modified form ofmy invention shown 65 ral joint, and yet shall have sufficient rigidinFig. 3 the lower end of the bolt G is fitted l5 ity to afford thedesired degree of support. with a cross-bar g, which has a rocking en-Another object of my deviceis to provide gagement with the under side ofthe core C. such a joint, which may be adjusted so as to Thisconstruction hasthe double advantage have more or less rigidity at theoption of the of furnishing such rocking engagement and 7o user. ofavoiding all danger ofthe bolt being pulled 2o These and such otherobjects as may hereupward through the core O. In this modied inafterappear are attained by the devices form I dispense with the compressiblewasher shown in the accompanying drawings, in H, seated in the underside of the core C, and whichuse a similar washer 0r sleeve H',surround,- 75

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View ing the bolt G and seatedwithin the rocker z5 through an artificial foot and ankle fitted E. Thiscompressible Washer or sleeve not with my improvements, and Fig. 2 is avertionly lends desired iiexibility to the joint, but cal sectional Viewon the line 2 2 of Fig. l prevents the clicking which might otherwiselooking in the direction indicated by theararise from the bolt Gstrikingagainst the ad 8o rows. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal sectional view jacentsurfaces of the rocker E during the 3o through an artificial foot andankle fitted operation of the joint. Of course, if desired, with amodified form of my invention,"and the sleeve H may be used inconnection with Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View on the line theconstruction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and,

4 4of Fig. Slookingin the direction indicated vice versa, the equivalentof the Washer H 85 by the arrows. Y maybe used in the structure shown inFigs.

55 Like letters of reference indicate the same 3 and 4.

parts in the several figures of the drawings. As shown in Fig. :2, theblock F is sup- Referring by letter to the accompanying ported Withinthe ankle portion D by having drawings,Aindicates an artificial footformed, a cone engagement with the inner surface of go preferably, ofspongy rubber and covered by such ankle portion. As the block F there-40 a flexible covering B. Embedded Within the fore constitutes a wedgeWithin the ankle spongy-rubber body A is a core C, which is portion D inthe modified form illustrated in preferably formed of wood. Figs. 3 and4, I have shown this block as ad- D is the ankle piece, usually of alight ditionally supported within the ankle by 95 wood, such as redwillow, which is held or means of dowel-pinsf, which are used to over-45 otherwise securely attached to a rocker E. come any possible dangerof splitting the an- The rocker E, as shown, is located above the kleportion when the nut I is tightened on core C, with a slight layer ofspongy rubber the bolt G. between the opposing faces of the rocker E Inthe use of a foot fitted with myimproveme and core C. l/Vhen in use, theweight of the ments as the body swings forward and the 5o body restsupon the rocker E, which has a ankle-joint is iiexed the rubber washersII J slight rocking motion upon the core C. are compressed, and therebygive a yielding Within the ankle-piece D is a supportingiiexiblemovement at the ankle-joint, while ers H .I returns the parts to theirnormal p0- sition. If the joint is too flexible, the nut G may betightened any desired degree, thereby compressing the washers H J,thereby reducing the flexibility of the joint, whereas if the joint isnot iiexible enough it may be rendered more exible by loosening the nutGr.

Although I have shown in the drawings my preferred construction, it isevident that the advantages attendant on my invention will be attainedto a considerable degree if either the washer H or the washer .I bedispensed with, the construction of the parts being otherwisesubstantially the same. I therefore do not confine myself to a structureembodying the use of both of said washers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In an ankle-joint, the combination with a hollow leg-section and anelastic foot-section, of a supporting-block secured transversely withinthe leg-section, a core embedded within the foot-section, a boltextending through said supporting-block and said core, and having arocking bearing Within said foot-section, a nut arranged to fit one endof said bolt, and means arranged to be compressed bythe tightening ofsaid nut, substantially as described.

2. In an ankle-joint, the combination with a leg-section and an elasticfoot-section, of a core embedded in said foot-section, a connecting-boltsupported at one end within said legsection and having a rocking bearingagainst said core, and a compressible washer seated within the lower endof said leg-section and surrounding said bolt, substantially asdescribed.

3. In an ankle-joint, the combination with a leg-section and an elasticfoot-section, of a rocker upon the lower end of the leg-sectionandarranged to rest upon the foot-section, a core embedded within thefoot-section, a connecting-bolt supported at one end within theleg-section, and having a rocking bearing at its opposite end againstsaid core, and a com-- a foot portion and an ankle portion, of a coreembedded in the foot portion, a supportingblock in the ankle portion, abolt engaging said core and extending freely therethrough and freelythrough said supporting-block, an adjusting-nut fitted to said bolt, anda cornpressible washer interposed between said nut and saidsupporting-block, substantially as described. I

6. In an ankle-joint, the combination with a hollow leg-section and aspongy-rnbber footsection, of asupporting-block arranged transverselywithin said leg-section, a core embedded within the spongy-rubberfoot-section, a rocker at the lower end of the leg-section arranged torest upon the foot-section, a connecting-bolt provided at one end with acrossbar having a rocking bearing against said core, said bolt extendingfreely through said core, said rocker and said block, and being providedat its opposite end with a nut, a compressible washer, surrounding saidbolt and interposed between said nut and said block, and a secondcompressible washer seated within said rocker, projecting below theunder side thereof and surrounding said bolt, substantially asdescribed. f

EDWARD KOEBER. Witnesses:

O. R. BARNETT, M. E. SHIELDS.

